Composite i-beam with splice at supports



y 4, 1967 c. A. SMITH COMPOSITE I'BEAM WITH SPLICE AT SUPPORTS Filed Nov. 20, 1963 INVENTOR. [/MIZIJJJM/fl/ United States Patent 3,328,931 COMPOSITE I-BEAM WITH SPLICE AT SUPPORTS Charles Andrew Smith, 3288 N. 54th St., Milwaukee, Wis. 53216 Filed Nov. 20, 1963, Ser. No. 325,058 2 Claims. (Cl. 52-299) This invention relates to a composite I-beam.

The improved beam comprises a pair of channels preferably made of sheet metal and bolted or welded together back to back in a relation in which the channels are slightly offset longitudinally for lapping connection with another beam.

Previous attempts to make composite beams have contemplated the use of specially fabricated component parts. It is a merit of the instant construction that it preferably uses channels such as can be folded from sheet metal in almost any sheet metal shop. The beams of the present invention are particularly designed for use in building homes. Commercial I-beams are commonly rolled by steel fabricators and are quite heavy and quite expensive. For home construction, each of the channels used in making the beam of the present invention can be folded of sheet metal of any appropriate weight and dimension. When two such channels are connected together to fabricate an I-beam as herein contemplated, the beam will be light enough so that a length which will span a good sized room can readily be carried by one man. The offset of the channels with respect to each other will be so slight (approximating 4 to 8 inches) that both of the components will receive support from the seat conventionally provided in the foundation or an intervening partition or supporting post.

A special clip is preferably provided for holding in alignment the mating ends of consecutive beams in a series. The clip is readily applicable, requiring no welding and no tools other than a hammer for its application. Bolts are also desirably used to connect the lapping portions of consecutive beams.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation of a beam embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a view in end elevation of the beam shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a plane view of the beam shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail view in cross section on the line 44 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a.series of longitudinally aligned and interconnected beams embodying the invention, portions being broken away and a foundation wall providing a seat being fragmentarily illustrated.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view in perspective showing lapping portions of aligned beams supported by a post.

The illustrated beam comprises a pair of identical channels 10 and 12 connected back to back in longitudinally offset relation, the end 14 of channel 10 projecting beyond the end 16 of channel 12 at one end of the beam while the end 18 of channel 12 projects beyond the end 20 of channel 10 at the other end of the beam.

In accordance with conventional practice, the channels 3,328,9'3 1 Patented July 4, 1967 face contact throughout the length of overlap. The webs are joined at a number of points in any desired manner, spotwelding being shown at 23.

In the preferred practice of the invention, there will be a number of connections made in a vertical row at each of several points longitudinally of the beam as clearly appears in FIG. 1 and FIG. 4. The projecting end 14 of channel 10 and the projecting end 18 of channel 12 are desirably provided with bolt holes as shown at 30 to receive the bolts 32 which are employed to connect the lapping ends of like beams to each other over an intermediate partition or supporting post 34.

Unlike the Web of a rolled channel, the webs and flanges 22 of the fabricated sheet metal channels herein disclosed are of uniform thickness and the webs have a substantial measure of flexibility which facilitates pressing them into intimate contact at the weld points and at the points where they are connected by means of the bolts 32. In addition to the lightness, there is this additional advantage in fabricating the beams for each particular job from conventional sheet metal channels.

It is not even necessary to "bolt the beams together at the point of interlap, since they may readily be connected by clips 36. Each such clip may optionally have its end notched to provide spaced fingers 38. Whether or not such fingers are provided, it is a simple matter to fold the ends of the clip over the beam flanges to engage flanges of both beams and hence span the joint between two consecutive beams as clearly shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. This is practicable because the lap connection between consecutive beams is not required to carry load in the preferred practice of this invention, both ends of both beams being otherwise supported as shown by the masonry foundation 40 and the post 34. Assuming that the beams only lap by approximately four inches as shown, the seat 42 provided in the masonry wall is adequately deep to receive and support the ends 14 and 16 of the component channels 10 and 12. Similarly, both ends of both channels of both of the aligned beams shown in FIG. 6 receive support from post 34 (through the intervening clip 36 if the clip is used).

I claim:

1. A building structure comprising the combination with spaced terminal supports and at least one intermediate support, of aligned beams of like structure having their ends connected with each other and spanning the space between said supports, the first and last such beam each resting at one end on a terminal support and the connected ends of each of said aligned beams resting on an intermediate support, each such beam comprising a pair of fabricated sheet metal channels of like length having back webs and oppositely projecting flanges, the channels of each beam being longitudinally offset and having means permanently connecting their respective back webs in face contact, the offset being less than the total width of the respective supports whereby in each beam the respective ends of its offset channels are both mounted on the same respective one of the supports aforesaid, the respective ends of projecting channels of aligned beams having the offset channels at said connected ends in lapping relation and connected with each other above said intermediate support.

2. A structure according to claim 1 in which a clip extending beneath the connected ends of said aligned beams has terminal portions folded about opposing side flanges of the channels of both beams.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Calafati 52-275 4 FOREIGN PATENTS 14,712 6/1909 Great Britain. 337,977 11/1930 Great Britain.

5 FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner.

RICHARD W. COOKE, JR., Examiner.

L. R. RADANOVIC, I. L. RIDGILL,

Assistant Examiners. 

1. A BUILDING STRUCTURE COMPRISING THE COMBINATION WITH SPACED TERMINAL SUPPORTS AND AT LEAST ONE INTERMEDIATE SUPPORT, OF ALIGNED BEAMS OF LIKE STRUCTURE HAVING THEIR ENDS CONNECTED WITH EACH OTHER AND SPANNING THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID SUPPORTS, THE FIRST AND LAST SUCH BEAM EACH RESTING AT ONE END ON A TERMINAL SUPPORT AND THE CONNECTED ENDS OF EACH OF SAID ALIGNED BEAMS RESTING ON AN INTERMEDIATE SUPPORT, EACH SUCH BEAM COMPRISING A PAIR OF FABRICATED SHEET METAL CHANNELS OF LIKE LENGTH HAVING BACK WEBS AND OPPOSITELY PROJECTING FLANGES, THE CHANNELS OF EACH BEAM BEING LONGITUDINALLY OFFSET AND HAVING MEANS PERMANENTLY CONNECTING THEIR RESPECTIVE BACK WEBS IN FACE CONTACT, THE OFFSET BEING LESS THAN THE TOTAL WIDTH OF THE RESPECTIVE SUPPORTS WHEREBY IN EACH BEAM THE RESPECTIVE ENDS OF ITS OFFSET CHANNELS ARE BOTH MOUNTED ON THE SAME RESPECTIVE ONE OF THE SUPPORTS AFORESAID, THE RESPECTIVE ENDS OF PROJECTING CHANNELS OF ALIGNED BEAMS HAVING THE OFFSET CHANNELS AT SAID CONNECTED ENDS IN LAPPING RELATION AND CONNECTED WITH EACH OTHER ABOVE SAID INTERMEDIATE SUPPORT. 